Fluid-feeding device.



H. A'. SCHEUPLEIN.

FLUID FEEDING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.19, 1915- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES Inn/mm? HenryAScheuplem I flaw 6 59 BVW I n I A FOR/V575 Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

H. A. SCHEUPLEIN.

FLUID FEEDING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, (915- Patented Mar. 7

I2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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HENRY A. SCHEUPLEIN, OF NEW YORK, NaY.

FLUID-FEEDING DEVICE.

Application filed January 19, 1915.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY A. SCI-IEUP- LEIN, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Bayside, borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Fluid-Feeding Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The present invention has special reference to improvements in fluid feeding devices, the primary object thereof being to provide improved means for effecting and regulating the discharge of a fluid from an inverted bottle or receptacle having a bottom discharge orifice, in such a manner that fluid may be caused to drop or flow in the desired quantity or volume according to the various uses to which the device is put.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid feeding device of the above nature in which the feeding of the fluid can be so regulated as to require agitation of the bottle, receptacle or retainer in order to effect the discharge or feeding of the fluid for various purposes, as for watering stock and particularly poultry, watering or supply fertilizing fluid to flowers or plants, such as grapevines, in times of drought, and, furthermore, to provide means for conveniently filling such a fluid holding bottle, receptacle or container and for applying the fluid regulating means thereto, as well as to provide means to assist in the feeding of the fluid by accelerating or giving impetus to the displacement of the fluid or water contained in the bottle, receptacle or container, by air under atmospheric pressure. p

A further and important object of the in vention is comprehended in the provision of a fluid feeding device in the nature of a watering appliance for 'stock, particularly poultry, in which a bottle or other receptacle is suspended for pivotal movement or agitation, improved means being provided for supporting the bottle and for regulating the discharge of the water by controlling the volume of air which is permitted to displace the water therein, said regulating or controlling means comprising, in part, a novel form of valve, while additional means are provided for discharging the water drop by drop and holding "said drops for iii-earns er tim ufi fi 5 i t ra t the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. "7, 1916.

Serial No. 3,115.

attention of the fowl thereto so that the fowl will partake thereof and assist in the continued flow or feeding of the water or to cause such feeding by agitation of the device to effect the entrance of a greater volume of air than the device is set to permit the entrance of.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the peculiar combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed, it being also an object to provide a device which is simple in construction, durable and eiiicient in operation and not likely to get out of working order.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fluid device constituting one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof partly in section; Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary viewtaken at right angles to Fig. 2; Fig. 4; is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the device across the bottle neck and looking downwardly; Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of an attaching clip or plate used with the device; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the manner of connecting verticalsuspension wires to a suspension band for the bottle or other receptacle; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the' manner of connecting said'wires to a supporting ring or collar and suspension rods associated therewith; Fig. 9 is a detail fragmentary view of the upper end of the suspension bail for the bottle; and Fig. 10 is a sectional view of a drain trough or receptacle into which the waste water is discharged and held inaccessible to the fowl.

In carrying my improved fluid feeding device into practice I have illustrated one embodiment especially designed as a stock watering device, but it is here explained there is to he no restriction as to the particular use of the device. As shown. a receptacleor container in'the form of a bottle 10 is designed to be filled with suitable fluid aewawara regnns ar aass a supportin device is provided which comprises a bail or inverted U-shaped member 11 the upper end or bight portion of which carries a swiveled eye 12 for suspension from a handle or other suitable means anchored to an object at the proper elevation and in the proper relative position to a plant or object to which the fluid or water is designed to be discharged. The extremities of the leg portions of the bail are pivotally connected as shown at 13 to a band 14 which is designed to encircle the container, and in the present case the body of the bottle, about midway of its height, the band in this instance being made up of a single strip with its extremities disposed in overlapped relation, as shown at 15, and connected at one of the pivots 13. By mounting the band midway of the height of the body of the bottle the neck will constitute an overbalancing medium to retain the bottle in an inverted posi tion with the neck or discharge orifice downward, and in order to suspend the bottle for agitation in thispositicn a collar or ring 16 is fitted around the neck and against the breast of the body of the bottle, said collar being made concaved to slightly conform to the shape of the bottle.

The bail is connected to the band at diametrically opposite points and between these points of connection a series of supporting wires or connections 17 are provided, the same at their lower extremities being passed through apertures 18 in depressed portions 19 extending radially of the collar 16 and anchored as shown at 20 in such a manner as to provide loops 21. These wires or connections 17 are immovably connected to the band 14:, one method of accomplishing or effecting this being by providing a plurality of series of vertically spaced apertures 22 in the band corresponding in number to the number of wires or connections and passing the wires twice through said apertures from the inside so as to loop the portions between the apertures, as shown at 23, and anchor the hand against movement with respect thereto. These wires or connections extend upwardly and are bent over the top wall of the receptacle or container, as shown at .24, such top wall being the usual bottom of the bottle, and at this point said wires are connected to a plate 25 constituting a connecting member having apertures 26 with adjacent up-pressed portions 27 accommodating the wires beneath the plate where said wires are passed through the apertures and twisted or anchored to themselves the same as is shown at 20. Two of the wires are fastened in the manner as just described, while the other wire is formed with an eye or loop 28 at its upper extremity disposed throu h its corresponding aperture and designed to be engaged by a fastener such as a'pivoted hook :29 inio-rder to sustain the weight of the bottle but permit the removal thereof by displacing the hook, wires and plate with respect to the bottle so that the same can be lifted vertically from the support, including the band and collar which have been described. It is, of course, to be understood that the wires are sufficiently flexible to permit them to be sprung back from over the top of the receptacle in order to permit the latter to be removed from its support.

Means are provided for normally closing the discharge orifice of the container and for regulating the discharge of the fluid therethrough, and in the application thereof to a bottle such as illustrateda closure plate 30 is held against the mouth portion of the bottle neck 31 as by means of rods 32 which are hung or suspended from the loops 21 in such amanner as to allow free outward movement of the rods. The closure plate 30 is preferably of sheet metal and provided with means to engage the bottle neck in order to hold the plate from lateral displacement. The plate is, however, resiliently supported by the rods or hangers 32 and for this purpose is provided with a plurality of extensions 33 which are apertured to receive said rods therethrough, the resilient supporting action being obtained by means of expansible coiled springs 34- which are mounted on the rods between the bottom faces of the extensions 33 and nuts or other enlargements 35 at the lower extremities of the rods, the nuts if provided permitting of adjustment of the springs in order to regulate the tension thereof and the pressure exerted against the plate in order to hold the same into engagement with the edge of the bottle neck at its discharge orilice.

The extensions 33 which are preferably stamped from a blank integral with the plate 30, have portions 36 thereof bent upwardly at right angles to contact with the bottle neck adjacent the mouth of the bottle in order to hold the plate from lateral displacement when held in the manner specified. One of the extensions 33 in lieu of being provided with an aperture for receiving a rod or hanger 32, is provided with a slot 37 communicating with its outer edge and extending radially with respect to the plate the same as the extensions thereof, and the red at this point, instead of being directly engaged with the extension. is engaged with an aperture 38 of a clip or plate 39 which is disposed against the bottom face of the slotted extension to resiliently sustain the c osure plate 30 the same as the other rods. The clip39 is provided with an upstanding lug 40 at its inner end to engage an opening 41 in the extension adjacent to the edge of the closure plate, as well as upstanding side to gues 42 to eng g th ides of the extensionand a tongue 48 intermediately of its outer edge to engage in the slot 37 in order to hold the clip from displacement relative to the extension and permit the proper sustaining pressure to be exerted thereagainst.

Laterally extending projections 44 provide for attaching and removing the clip 39 against the action of the adjacent coiled spring so that when the spring is compressed the clip may be passed beneath the extension and released to engage therewith or disposed to disengage therefrom as desired. When the clip is disengaged from the extension the closure plate may be tilted with the other rods in order to move the plate out of engagement with the month end of the bottle neck or discharge end of the re ceptacle or container, in order to permit the container to be refilled, renewed or otherwise. It is to be understood, however, that when this action is edected the bottle should be held in an upright position by swinging it on its pivots, the bail being capable of being turned or moved as on a swivel to any desired position, although thebottle may be removed by disengaging the hook 29 and without moving it to an upright position, especially when the bottle is empty.

Attached to and leading from the closure plate 30 is a discharge tube or'spout t5, the same being disposed in an inclined position, preferably toward the slotted extension, and having a beveled discharge end 46. The discharge end 46 has a vertical slot 46 to assist in the entrance of the air into the tube and cause the water to feed in the slot and to run down the feed wires leading therefrom at each side of the slot. Operating through the closure plate adjacent to the in-' let end of the discharge tube 45 is a valve :7 which is in the form of a threaded stem having threaded connection with an opening through the closure plate and adapted to be turned by an operating head 48. The valve also has threaded engagement through a guide plate as having a slot 50 formed by bifurcating one end thereof so as to straddle the discharge tube 4-5 in order to prevent accidental turning of the valve as well as to guide the same during its movements when operated through the closure plate. The stem of the valve is provided with a tapered longitudinal slot 51 extending entirely through the same and enlarged from its upper to its lower end so that movement of the valve with respect to the closure plate will vary the length of the slot which will be disposed in the neck of the bottle and thus regulate the amount of air which can enter in order to displace the water therein and cause the same to be discharged through the tube or nozzle 45, the smaller the entrance opening for the air the less air that will enter, and, consequently, the water will be grad- .u -llrdisplaced.

On the other hand, the valve may be adjusted to regulate the air injection or the entrance of the air into the bottle due to the tendency to create a vacuum therein as the water escapes, and in this way the water can 1 be caused to drop or flow continuously according to the requirements of the particularuse to which the device is being put. In practice the water will form a seal between the closure plate and themouth edge of the bottle neck or discharge end of any receptacle or container which is used, especially where the discharge end is somewhat restricted in size, and by turning the plate with respect to the bottle, or vice versa, this seal can be effectively obtained so that a thin sheet metal closure plate is rendered sufficient for this use as well as to take the valve and permit regulation of the quantity of fluid or water discharged or fed without necessi tating any complicated valve structure or requiring the slot in the valve stem to be unnecessarily long.

The valve 47 is in the nature of a screw and the head 52 thereof provides means to prevent displacement of the valve downwardly, the slot 51 terminating short of said end so that the air opening can be entirely closed and the discharge of the fluid or water from the receptacle or bottle prevented except when the bottle is agitated or the closure plate displaced slightly with respect to the mouth end of the bottle to admit air into the latter.

The device as described can be used for various purposes where it is desired to conserve the feeding of a fluid body and supplying a predetermined quantity of such fluid for such purposes, as, for instance, in watering plants or otherwise, but when the device is used for supplying drinking water to stock or fowhand especially the latter, a series of feeding wires 53 are passed through the discharge tube 45 and are intertwisted so as to produce an eye or loop 54.- constituting an enlargement above the inlet end of the tube and closure plate to prevent displacement of the feed wires with respect thereto. These wires depend downwardly and outwardly, the other extremities thereof being bent upwardly and attached to one of the other extensions 33, as shown at 55, as

through the medium of an aperture in said extension corresponding to the aperture 41 in the, slotted extension. In this manner a substantially buoy-shaped feed member is produced which is additionally supported and rigidified by a wire brace 56 leading from the other extension and connected to the extreme lower portion or bight of the buoy-shaped feed member.

The feed wires leading from the discharge tube are spaced apart adjacent to the discharge end of the tube, as shown at 57, and

against the widestportion of the buoy gieo shaped feed member as shown at 58, while the wires at the lower portion of the feed member at the point of connection of the brace 56 therewith are sprung as shown at 59, and the extremities of the brace are attached to the bight portion by bringing the wires composing the same into converging relation as shown at 60, the spacing apart of the wires composing the feed members providing pockets or cells into which the water will collect so as to sparkle and attract the fowl thereto. The result will be that the fowl will pick at the water as it feeds, or if the valve is closed the fowl will unconsciously displace the closure plate from the outlet of the bottle or receptacle to admit air for filling the partial vacuum at the top of the bottle and permitting the discharge of further fluid or water, and since the bottle will be agitated a very efficient 'form of exercising device will be provided while at the same time clean water will be furnished at all times and the supply conserved.

In the event of the bottle tipping on its pivots to an upright position, the supporting wires or connections 17 will, in conjunction with the plate 25, prevent displacement thereof. The displacement of the closure plate with respect to the bottle is permitted since the plate may move angularly or tilt or be otherwise moved away from the discharge end of the bottle or receptacle against the action of the springs 3a. In the last named use of the device it is suspended so that the fowl can just reach the water at the bottom of the feed member, or practically so, and under the bottle a trough or drain receptacle 61 is provided, such trough being preferably enlarged toward its upper end and being designed to fit in a similar opening dug in the ground so as to embed the trough substantially on a level with the ground surface. The trough is provided with a removable top portion 62 which is hopper-shaped or depressed and which is provided with a small central drain opening 63 sufficiently large to permit the waste water to pass therethrough and into the trough but not sufficiently large to permit the fowl to gain access to the trough and the water contained therein. In this manner the fowl are prevented frcm drinking unclean water such as happens where open troug s or drinking fountains are'employed and where the fowl will, after picking in the dirt, usually project their bills into the water with the result that such dirt will be deposited therein as may have collected on the bills of the fowl to contaminate the drinking water.

In addition to the feeding of the water as described, or any other fluid, depending upon the purpose for which the device is used,I--provic1e-an accelerator which is do signed to give impetus to the discharge of the water, and this device is illustrated in the form of a string, wire or other flexible connection 6-1 which is attached to the eye or loop 54 at the upper end of the feed wire 53. By this means one end of the connection is anchored and the other or free end thereof has a float such as a cork 65 attached thereto, the cork being normally buoyed up by the water in the bottle forming a passage through the water along which the air will feed or pass in escaping to the top of the bottle when the water is discharged. As the water escapes and the level thereof drops, the cork will drop therewith and although the cord or connection 64 will not always be rectilinearly disposed it will greatly assist in the escape of the air into the bottle to bubble through the water therein and will further agitate the water in connection with the airinjections so as to prevent the water from freezing except in extremely cold weather. lVhile the cord or connection 64 is held taut or rectilinear, the inrushing air will, due to the buoyancy of the float or cork and disturbance of the water, cause the swinging of the bottle to assist in discharging the liquid therefrom and to scatter the same, this being especially desirable when watering plants. Furthermore, air entering the bottle disturbs or agitates the water and causes a circulation of the latter due to the displacement as the air escapes to the top of the bottle, and in this manner warm water will be retained in a warm condition in cold weather and for a long period of time, and cold water will be retained in such condition in hrt or warm weather. This action is materially assisted by the provision of a heavy canvas or other cover 66 which is fitted over the whole device and is of substantially cylindrical form except that the lower end thereof is restricted, as shown at 67, but suliiciently large to permit proper movement of the discharge member with respect to the bottle or receptacle for displacing the closure plate as heretofore described.

In order to removably support the cover in position the latter, at its upper end, is secured to a flexible ring 68 having inwardly projecting pins 69 at diametrically opposite points to enter apertures 70 in the side portions of the bail 11 and such that the cover, by reason of splitting or cutting the same at the upper end. will overlie the cap between the ring and fit over the vessel or bottle, as shown at 71. In this manner the water will be protected from cold and heat, while the air space at the top willform an insulation obviating the necessity of providing a cover at this part and the cover may be readily removed by springing in the sides of the ring at right angles to the pins so as to expand the ring to disengage the pins from the apertures 70 or to cause said pinstospring in ward upon pressure being released from the ring so that the pins will engage the apertures when the cover is applied. Furthermore, as the partial vacurun in the bottle holds the cover plate toward the bottle at the same time that the water is restricted from discharging, the springsii are relieved of pressure over and above the weight of the cover plate so that the springs will last a longer time than otherwise.

Having thus described my invention, what I'claim as new and desire to secure by Letters latent is:

1. A fluid feeding device, comprising a container, a support for said container, said container having a discharge end, means cooperating with said discharge end for normally closing the same, means for supporting said last named'means for movement with respect to said discharge end, whereby displacement thereof will permit the admission of air into the container for displacing the fluid therein, and a fluid feeding member attached to the end closure serving to cause displacement of the closure, substantially as set forth.

2. A fluid. feeding device, comprising in combination, a receptacle having a bottom discharge opening, a closure plate held against the discharge end of the receptacle to normally close said opening, a discharge nozzle leading from the plate and communicating with the.interior of the receptacle whereby fluid from the receptacle will be fed therethrough, a slotted valve stem threaded through the plate and means to adjust said stem whereby the slot thereof may be disposed within or without the receptacle to admit-or prevent the entrance of air into the latter to regulate the feeding of the fluid therethrough. l 4

A fluid feeding device, comprising in combination, a receptacle having a bottom discharge opening, a closure plate held against the discharge end of the receptacle to normally close said opening, a discharge nozzle leading from the plate and communicating with the interior of the receptacle whereby fluid from the receptacle will be fed theretlnough, means to resiliently hold said closure plate toward the receptacle, said plate having a threaded aperture therethrough, a valve including a threaded stem operatively engaged through the aperture, said stem having a tapered longitudinal slot extending diametrically thereof and terminating short of its upper end and a guide plate having a threaded aperture with which said stem is also engaged, said stem having an operating head whereby it may be turned with respect to the closure plate and guide plate to close or open the aperture in the closure plate.

4. A fluid feeding device, comprising in combination, a receptacle having a bottom discharge opening, a closure plate held against the discharge end of the receptacle to normally close said opening, a discharge erating through the aperture and having.

means to prevent displacement thereof, adjustment of the valve stem serving to open or close said aperture for the purpose of admitting or preventing the entrance of air to the'interior of the receptacle, and a feed member supported by the closure plate and discharge nozzle thereof.

5, A fluid feeding device, comprising in combination, areceptacle having a bottom discharge opening, a closure plate held against the discharge end of the receptacle to normally close said opening, a discharge nozzle leading from the plate and communicating with the interior of the receptacle whereby fluid from the receptacle willb-e fed therethrough, means to-removably and pivotally supportthe receptacle, means to removably and resiliently hold the closure plate against the discharge end of the receptacle' to permit the same to be agitated and thereby displaced with respect to the receptacle to admit air to the latter for displacing the fluid therein, a valve cooperating with the closure plate for admitting air to the receptacle or entirely cutting off the same and a feed member including a plurality of wires engaged through the discharge nozzle and into the receptacle, said wires beingconnected to the closure plate and having spaced portions constituting col? lecting spaces for the fluid such as water discharged from the receptacle through said nozzle. i p

6. A liquid feeding device of the class described, comprising a bottle holder including a band having a supporting bail pivoted thereto, means to turnably support said bail, a collar suspended fl om the band and adapted to take a bottle in an inv rted position within the band, means carried by the band to removably clamp the bottle at the normal bottom thereof, a closure plate fitting the mouth of the bottle, rods suspended from the collar supporting means and having engagement with said closure plate, spring means carried by the rods to resiliently hold said closure plate toward the mouth of the bottle, means carried by the closure plate to hold the same against lateral displacement relative to the neck of the bottle, one of said rods being displaceable to permit disengagement of the plate with respect to the bottle neck, a discharge tube carried bv the plate and communicating with the interior of the bottle neck to receive a supply of liquid from the bottle, a feed member extending through the dis charge tube and including a plurality of wires spaced apart at intervals, said feed member being of buoy shape and having connection with the closure plate at spaced points and a valve adjustable through the closure plate and having a slot to be positioned totally below the plate or partially above the same, whereby the entrance of air into the bottle will be prevented or permitted as desired.

7. A liquid feeding device of the class described comprising a bottle holder including a band having a supporting bail pivoted thereto, means to turnably support said bail, a collar suspended from the band and adapted to take a bottle in an inverted position within the band, means carried by the band to removably clamp the bottle at the normal bottom thereof, a closure plate fitting the mouth of the bottle, rods suspended from the collar supporting means and having engagement with said closure plate, spring means carried by the rods to resiliently hold said closure plate toward the mouth of the bottle, means carried by the closure plate to hold-the same against lateral displacement relative to the neck of the bottle, one of said rods being displaceable to permit disengagement of the plate with respect to the bottle neck, a discharge tube carried by the plate and communicating with the interior of the bottle neck to receive a supply of liquid from the bottle, a feed member extending through the discharge tube and including a plurality of wires spaced apart at intervals, said feed member being of buoy shape and having connection with the closure plate at spaced points and a float in the bottle having aflexible connection with the feed member at the inlet end of the tube to assist in the escape of air through the water to the top of the bottle when the closure plate is displaced to admit air.

8. A liquid feeding device of the class described comprising a bottle holder including a band having a supporting bail pivoted thereto, means to turnably support said bail, a collar suspended from the band and adapted to take a bottle in an inverted position within the band, means carried by the band to removably clamp the bottle at the normal bottom thereof, a closure plate fitting the mouth of the bottle, rods suspended from the collar supporting means and having engagement with said closure plate, spring means carried by the rods to resiliently hold said closure plate toward the mouth of the bottle, means carried by the closure plate to hold the same against lateral displacement relative to the neck of the bottle, one of said rods being displaceable to permit disengagement of the plate with respect to the bottle neck, a discharge tube carried by the plate and communicating with the interior of the bottle neck to receive a supply of liquid from the bottle, a feed member extending through the discharge tube and including a plurality of wires spaced apart at intervals, said feed member being of buoy shape and having connection with the closure plate at spaced points, a float adapted to be buoyed up by the water in the bottle, a flexible connection between the float and the feed member, additional means cooperative with the closure plate for admitting air in varying volumes to the bottle to displace the water therein in addition to the admission of air by the displacement of the closure plate and a cover surrounding the bottle and removably suspended from the sides of the bail.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- HENRY A. SCHEUPLEIN.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. BURCH, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

